Kitchen cleaning utensil

ABSTRACT

A kitchen cleaning utensil is especially designed for scraping and raking out foodstuff and the like that collects in a kitchen sink strainer. The utensil includes a head member having a circular scraping edge. The diameter of the head member is less than that of a kitchen sink strainer. A plurality of flexible, side-by-side teeth extend longitudinally from a portion of the edge of the head member. The utensil is curved about a longitudinal axis parallel to the teeth and is capable of being flexed under pressure, whereby its head member may be used for scraping foodstuff and the like from the upper sidewall of a kitchen sink strainer and the teeth may be used for raking out foodstuff and the like from the lower opening of the strainer. The purpose of this abstract is to enable the public and the Patent Office to determine rapidly the subject matter of the technical disclosure of the application. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope thereof.

United States Patent 1 1 Bonora 1 1 KITCHEN CLEANING UTENSIL [76]Inventor; Aldo L. Bonora, 432-B Beren Rd.,

Walden, NY. 12586 122 Filed: Oct. 30, 1972 211 Appl. No.: 301,888

Primary ExaminerLeon G. Machlin Attorney, Agent, or Firm Joseph L.Spiegel Apr. 2, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT A kitchen cleaning utensil isespecially designed for scraping and raking out foodstuff and the likethat collects in a kitchen sink strainer. The utensil includes a headmember having a circular scraping edge. The diameter of the head memberis less than that of a kitchen sink strainer. A plurality. of flexible,side-byside teeth extend longitudinally from a portion of the edge ofthe head member. The utensil is curved about a longitudinal axisparallel to the teeth and is capable of being flexed under pressure,whereby its head member may be used for scraping foodstuff and the likefrom the upper sidewall of a kitchen sink strainer and the teeth may beused for raking out foodstuff and the like from the lower opening of thestrainer.

The purpose of this abstract is to enable the public and the PatentOffice to determine rapidly the subject matter of the technicaldisclosure of the application. This abstract is neither intended todefine the invention of the application nor is it intended to belimiting as to the scope thereof.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures MENYFU APR 2 I97 FEG. 2

BACKGROUND OF YTHEYINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This inventionrelates to a kitchen utensil designed for scraping and raking outfoodstuff and the like that collects in a kitchen sink strainer.

2. Description of the Prior Art A recurring problem to the house wife isthe collection of grease, dirt, food particles and the like in thestrainer of a kitchen sink after cleaning off food, washing dishes,scrubbing pots and pans and the like. Normally one attempts to scoop upor pick out the foodstuff with the fingers. This is unpleasant and hasnot proved satisfactory due to wear and tear on fingers and fingernails.Additionally, a certain amount of the foodstuff is forced downwardlycausing drain clogging.

Others have designed hand scraping and cleaning utensils. See, forexample, the U.S. Pat. to Kuever, No. and, the U.S. Pat. to Tupper, No.2,828,502. The U.S. Pat. to Seifert, No. 3,427,636 describes a kitchenhand tool for pushing garbage to and through a drain opening in a sinkbottom, but until now no one has designed a satisfactory utensil forscraping and raking out foodstuff from the kitchen sink strainer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is a kitchen utensilfor scraping and raking out foodstuff and the like that collects in akitchen sink strainer.

Another object is such a utensilwhich is efficient and convenient touse, economical, durable, cleanable, and which reduces wear and tear onthe finish of the sink strainer.

These and other objects are accomplished in accordance withth eteachings of the present invention, one illustrative embodiment of whichcomprises, a kitchen cleaning utensil that includes a head member withteeth depending therefrom. The head member has a circular scraping edgeof a diameter less than that of a kitchen sink drain. A plurality offlexible, side-by-side teeth extend longitudinally from a portion of thehead member. The utensil is curved about a longitudinal axis parallel tothe teeth and is capable of being flexed under pressure, whereby thehead member may be used for scraping foodstuff and the like from theupper sidewall of a kitchen sink strainer and the teeth may be used forraking out foodstuff and the like from the lower opening of thestrainer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The foregoing and other objects,features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing, more particular description of the preferred embodiments ofthe invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. I is a side view of the novel kitchen utensil of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the novel kitchen utensil;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view partially broken away, and partly inphantom showing the teeth of the kitchen utensil in use to rake outfoodstuff from the lower opening of a kitchen sink strainer; and,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view partly broken away and partly in phantomshowing the circular edge of the head member of the kitchen utensilbeing used to scrape off food-stuff and the like from the upper sidewallof a kitchen sink strainer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1 of thedrawing there is shown a novel kitchen utensil 11 of the presentinvention. The utensil 11 is preferably made of material of relativelythin gage typically one sixteenth of an inch thick. Typical materialsare thermoplastic materials such as polyethylene, polyvinyls, rubber andother substances having similar physical characteristics. Such materialsare preferred because they are capable of being flexed and of returningto their original position. They may be used on stainless steel andporcelain surfaces without scratching same. They are non-absorptive,odorless, resistant to chemicals at ordinary temperatures. The materialsdo not soften at water temperatures normally used in a kitchen sink andare capable of repeated use without wearing out and losing theirshape-retaining characteristics.

The utensil 11 is shown as including a head member 12 with teeth 13depending therefrom.

The head member 12 is generally circular and is preferably beveled aboutmost of its periphery to form a scraping edge 14. The member 12 is sodimensioned as to be less than the diameter of a kitchen sink strainerso that it may be readily inserted therein. In a typical embodiment thediameter of the circle formed in the plane of the circular edge 14 is2.6 inches. It is intended that the edge 14 of the member 12 be used toscrape foodstuff and the like from the upper sidewall of the sinkstrainer.

The utensil 11 further includes aplurality of side-byside teeth 13extending longitudinally from a portion of the edge of member 12. Theteeth 13 are rigid enough for strength, yet flexible enough foreffective raking action. In a typical embodiment teeth 13 arethreefourths of an inch long, one-eighth of an inch thick and spacedapart approximately one-sixteenth of an inch.

It is preferable to utilize the same material in formation of the teeth13 as in the formation of the head member 12. Formation may be any ofthe known forming methods including compression, injection and blowmolding as well as vacuum forming.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the utensil 11 is curved about a longitudinalaxis parallel to the teeth 13.

While the utensil 11 may be used for removing hardened food from dishes,pots, and pans and the like, it is primarily intended to removefoodstuffs and the like from hard-to-get at areas within a kitchen sink,in particular the strainer FIG. 3 and 4 illustrate the use of theutensil l 1 in the lower opening 15 and upper sidewalll6 portions of asink strainer 17. FIG. 3 depicts the tooth portion of utensil 11 beingused to rake out foodstuff 18 from the lower opening 15. The teeth 13are so spaced so as to engage and scrape the grilled portions withinlower opening 15 while the overall curvature to the utensil llfacilitates the raking out of the foodstuff from the lower opening 15 ofthe strainer 17.

As best seen in FIG. 4, foodstuff 18 is scraped from the upper sidewall16 of strainer 17 by bringing the edge 14 of utensil 11 into contacttherewith. The fact that head member 12 is smaller than the drainopening, the edge 14 is circular and that the member 12 is deformableupon application of local pressure, assures that there will be maximumcontact between the scraping edge 14 and the sidewall 16 throughout ascraping motion.

The novel utensil of the present invention minimizes wear and tear onthe hands and fingers of an individual and reduces wear and tear on thekitchen strainer finish. It reduces the amount of foodstuff that isusually forced down into the drain when fingers are used, thus helpingto eliminate drain clog ups.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various changes and omissions can be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A kitchen cleaning utensil especially designed for scraping outfoodstuffs and the like that collect in a kitchen sink strainer,comprising:

A circular head member; said head member having an edge portion fromwhich elongated, blunt-ended teeth extend in spaced, side-by-sidesubstantially parallel relation to form a rake for raking out foodstuffand the like from the lower opening of a kitchen sink strainer;

the lengthwise portions of said teeth being parallel to a longitudinalaxis;

said head member and teeth being curved to provide a concavity facingsaid longitudinal axis; and,

the remainder of said head member edge being beveled for scrapingfoodstuff and the like from the upper side-wall of a kitchen sinkstrainer said utensil being made of flexible material for carrying outits intended purpose.

1. A kitchen cleaning utensil especially designed for scraping outfoodstuffs and the like that collect in a kitchen sink strainer,comprising: A circular head member; said head member having an edgeportion from which elongated, blunt-ended teeth extend in spaced,side-by-side substantially parallel relation to form a rake for rakingout foodstuff and the like from the lower opening of a kitchen sinkstrainer; the lengthwise portions of said teeth being parallel to alongitudinal axis; said head member and teeth being curved to provide aconcavity facing said longitudinal axis; and, the remainder of said headmember edge being beveled for scraping foodstuff and the like from theupper side-wall of a kitchen sink strainer said utensil being made offlexible material for carrying out its intended purpose.